Lady glanced at Madam Wang, frowned, and bowed toward First Master, saying, "A false alarm has startled you, Master."
First Master slightly narrowed his eyes and cast a meaningful look at Madam Wang, "Have the two girls been found?" Lady nodded, then asked the First Master, "Is everything well over at the outer courtyard? You’ve worked hard today, Master."
First Master’s expression relaxed, revealing a faint smile, "Just some colleagues. I bumped into Third Master Ren on the way, chatted a bit. Since there’s nothing, I’ll head back."
Lady intended to nod, but suddenly recalled Xinzhu mentioning that Third Miss wasn’t in the courtyard. She said to First Master, "Fourth Girl was frightened today. Since you’ve come, go inside and have a look!"
First Master thought for a moment and then nodded, "Alright!" He swung his robe open and entered the courtyard ahead, without glancing at Madam Wang again.
Madam Wang had a bellyful of words, but that look from First Master just now blocked them all in her throat, unable to say a word.
The hunter had become the prey! Lady coldly laughed and followed First Master into the courtyard!
The first courtyard on the left was Tong Xiyang’s. At the moment, at the courtyard gate, Fourth Miss’s other maid, Xinmei, was peeking out, not knowing what she was looking at. Upon seeing First Master, Lady, and the others approaching, Xinmei leisurely came forward, curtsying to Lady and saying, "Master, Lady!"
First Master nodded slightly, and Lady asked, "Where is your Miss?"
Xinmei replied, "Inside, waiting for Third Miss!"
Lady entered Tong Xiyang’s courtyard. Xiqiu and Tong Xiyan heard the commotion outside and had already come out to greet them, both curtsying to First and Lady, "Father, Mother!"
Lady looked at the two and then examined Tong Xiyan closely. First Master’s gaze briefly swept over them and he said in a low voice, "We’ll speak inside."
Xiqiu and Tong Xiyan ushered First and Lady into the main hall to sit down.
In the center of the living room was a square table painted with red lacquer depicting the Eight Immortals crossing the sea. Lady and First Master sat left and right in the main seats, while below were four red lacquer high-back chairs with magpies on plum blossom designs. Xiqiu and Tong Xiyan did not dare sit, obediently standing to the side.
The maids released Madam Wang, who stood silently, her eyes closely watching the door from the corner of her eye.
Before First Master could ask, Lady’s tone changed from earlier severity as she addressed Tong Xiyan, "Your injury isn’t healed yet, why are you running around..."
Tong Xiyan bowed her head without speaking.
Hearing Lady’s attempt to downplay the issue, Madam Wang smiled and came forward, "Fourth Miss and Sixth Miss really have quick legs, so fast they’ve run back and forth between the East and West Cross Courtyards twice!"
First Master frowned, and Lady also showed displeasure. Tong Xiyan tilted her head to look at Madam Wang, "What is aunt saying? I don’t understand. What East Courtyard and West Courtyard runs?"
Madam Wang sneered, "Fourth Miss, there’s no need to hide in front of First Master. My maid clearly saw you go to the East Courtyard, and shortly after, Sixth Miss quietly followed. If Fourth Miss doesn’t believe it, let’s call the maid to confront you!"
Tong Xiyan’s face changed slightly. First Master asked Madam Wang in a deep voice, "What’s going on?"
Madam Wang covered her mouth and laughed, fawningly looking at First Master, "Master, I dare not say. It’s better for Fourth Miss to explain herself."
First Master furrowed his brows harher, sending a chill through Tong Xiyan, her face a ghostly pale. Lady also sensed something amiss, curious yet cautious. After all, it was her own daughter. If nothing could be unearthed, so be it. If there truly was something, she ought to be the one asking.
"Master, Fourth Girl is hurt. Don’t frighten her, speak slowly."
Madam Wang interjected, "Lady, that’s not how it should be. Master has been swamped day and night with official duties lately, rarely having time to care for the young misses. His concern shouldn’t go unappreciated!"
Lady almost shattered her teacup, giving Tong Xiyan a disappointed look.
So eloquent usually, yet at a critical moment, she became tongue-tied.
Tong Xiyan hung her head in guilt, her mind blank, unable to find words to explain to First Master. At this point, Xiqiu obediently stepped forward, pulling Tong Xiyan to kneel together at First and Lady’s feet, softly saying, "Father, Mother, Aunt is right. We did go to the East Cross Courtyard."
Tong Xiyan was startled, murmuring as she looked at Xiqiu.
Madam Wang’s eyes gleamed with triumph. So what if it’s not caught? Whether Fourth Miss went to the East Courtyard, First Master can easily find out. Truth cannot be hidden, besides, she knows even who that person is.
Lady’s face changed, placing the teacup on the table, coldly asking Xiqiu, "What’s going on?"
Xiqiu raised his head to explain, "We went to the outer courtyard to find our brother-in-law!"
Lady raised an eyebrow, Madam Wang looked incredulous. First Master lightly frowned, "Went to see Yanyi? For what?"
Tong Xiyan finally came to her senses, remembering what Xiao Yanyi had instructed before leaving, and hurriedly said to Xinmei, "Bring the brother-in-law’s book." Xinmei obeyed and left the courtyard, returning in a flash with a book, handing it to Tong Xiyan.
"Last time when brother-in-law came, he promised to find Li Zhenqing’s poetry collection for me. After waiting anxiously for days without news, when I heard brother-in-law was here today, I couldn’t wait to drag Sixth Sister with me to find him." She handed the book to First Master, adding, "I feared Mother would blame me, so..."
Li Zhenqing was an extraordinary woman, like a man she showed herself to the world, not only opening a shop to do business with men but also learned martial arts, traveling across the land. She was unrestrained and talented, a legendary figure.
But in the patriarchal Tong Mansion, such a woman was viewed as violating the ancestral teachings on women’s conduct and virtues, so her works were forbidden in Tong Mansion.
Xiqiu’s lips curled into a smile, Xiao Yanyi had truly put thought into finding such a book.
Seeing First Master’s brow still furrowed but his expression much improved, Lady seemed to also breathe a sigh of relief.
Only Madam Wang widened her eyes in disbelief, "Fourth Miss is truly articulate. I had no idea when Third-Ranked Scholar Jiang became the brother-in-law!"
"Enough!" Lady slapped the table, glaring angrily at her, "Do you know what you’re saying? Nonsense!"
"I am not speaking nonsense." Madam Wang, unwilling to let go, went before First Master, "Master, if it was to borrow a book from the brother-in-law, why go to the outer courtyard? You could have sent someone to fetch it directly from the brother-in-law, or at least have First Son or Seventh Young Master handle it!"